The Journey Begins
The heavy academy gates closed behind them with a solid thud. Yao Xuan adjusted the strap of his travel pack across his shoulder, the coarse fabric rubbing against his tunic. His fingers, calloused from forging and combat, tightened briefly around the strap before relaxing. He turned his head, his gaze finding Gu Yue's dormitory building. He walked, his boots crunching on the gravel path, each step measured and sure.
He raised his hand and knocked three times—rap, rap, rap—on her door. The wood felt cool and smooth under his knuckles.
The door swung open. Gu Yue stood in the doorway, a small, prepared suitcase at her feet. She smiled, a gentle curve of her lips that made her silver eyes crinkle at the corners. Without a word, she reached out. Her hand, slender and cool, slipped into his, her fingers interlacing with his own. She gave a slight, reassuring squeeze.
"Ready?" she asked, her voice a soft murmur.
He nodded, returning the pressure of her hand. "Ready."
Together, they walked down the path, their synchronized steps creating a light, rhythmic scuff against the ground. The main gate loomed ahead, and they passed through it, leaving the quiet campus for the bustling city street.
A long, sleek, black vehicle waited at the curb, its polished surface reflecting the afternoon sun in a sharp glare. A man in a crisp grey suit stood beside it. As they approached, he straightened, gave a short, precise bow, and opened the rear passenger door with a smooth, silent motion. The door hinge gave a soft whisper.
"Miss. Sir," the butler intoned, gesturing inside.
Yao Xuan ducked his head and climbed in, the leather seat sighing softly as he settled. Gu Yue followed, sliding in beside him. The door shut with a solid, well-engineered click, sealing them in quiet, climate-controlled air. The vehicle pulled away from the curb, its powerful engine a distant, muted hum felt through the seats.
Yao Xuan glanced around the spacious interior, his eyes tracing the clean lines and fine materials. He turned his head to look at Gu Yue. "A private car? Your family spares no expense."
Gu Yue laughed, a light, airy sound. She tilted her head, her silver hair shifting across her shoulders. "Get used to it." She nudged his arm playfully with her elbow. "I did promise to take care of you, remember?"
He chuckled, the vibration rumbling in his chest. "How could I forget?"
A partition slid down silently. The butler's hand appeared, holding a tray bearing two tall glasses filled with a luminous, ruby-red liquid. Condensation beaded on the crystal. Yao Xuan took one, the glass cool and heavy in his grasp. He raised it to his lips and drank. The juice was cold and burst across his tongue with a complex sweetness, followed by a trail of warmth that spread down his throat and settled in his stomach. He drained the glass and set it back on the offered tray with a soft clink.
The notification flickered at the edge of his perception. He blinked, filed it away.
Gu Yue sipped her drink more slowly, watching him over the rim of her glass. She placed her half-finished glass aside. "I told them you have an appreciation for finer things. Wait until you see what's prepared at home."
Before he could reply, she let out a small, tired sigh. Her shoulders slumped a fraction. She leaned sideways, letting her head drop gently onto his shoulder. Her hair fanned out, a silken veil against his arm. "The semester was long. Do you mind?" she murmured, her voice slightly muffled.
"Not at all," he said softly. He shifted his posture, squaring his shoulder to give her a more stable rest. He felt the gentle weight of her head, the slow, even rhythm of her breathing beginning to even out.
The cityscape began to blur past the tinted windows, transitioning from dense urban blocks to more open, industrial zones. The car turned smoothly through a series of wide gates, past security checkpoints where guards nodded deferentially, and onto a vast, flat expanse of pristine tarmac.
The private airfield stretched before them, empty and silent under the vast sky. In the center sat a single aircraft. It was not large, but its design was elegant and severe—a needle of polished silver and dark blue composite, its wings swept back sharply. It looked less like a machine and more like a predator at rest.
The car glided to a halt beside it. The butler exited and opened their door. The outside air was cooler here, carrying the faint, sharp smells of fuel and ozone.
"Your aircraft is ready, Miss," the butler said, bowing again.
Yao Xuan stepped out, his boots meeting the hard, sun-warmed asphalt. He looked up, his eyes tracing the graceful, lethal lines of the soul-guided plane. He had never seen one so close. Gu Yue emerged beside him, no longer leaning on him but standing close, her shoulder brushing his arm.
A short staircase had descended from the aircraft's side. Gu Yue led the way, her shoes tapping lightly on the metal steps. Yao Xuan followed, his hand briefly grazing the cool, smooth railing.
The interior of the cabin was a capsule of calm luxury. Plush, wide seats faced each other beside large, oval windows. Gu Yue chose a seat by a window and sat, smoothing her skirt. Yao Xuan stowed his pack in a recessed compartment and took the seat facing her, the polished wood of a small table between them.
A low, deep thrumming began to build through the structure of the aircraft, a vibration he could feel in his bones. It intensified into a resonant roar as the engines powered up. The view outside the window began to slide sideways as the craft taxied.
Yao Xuan watched, fascinated, as the edge of the runway streamed past faster and faster. His body was pressed gently back into the seat by a firm, steady pressure. Then, the pressure shifted, and the ground fell away. The buildings of Donghai City rapidly diminished, becoming a geometric mosaic of greys and browns, then being swallowed by a blanket of clouds.
They broke through into clear, brilliant sky. The sun blazed, unfiltered, on an endless sea of white cloud tops below.
Gu Yue, who had been watching the ascent with a placid expression, turned from the window. She reached across the small table. Her hand found his where it rested on the arm of his chair. Her fingers curled over his, warm and certain.
He turned his palm upward to meet hers, their hands linking naturally. He looked from their joined hands to her face. She was smiling, a quiet, contented smile that reached her eyes.
The aircraft leveled off, the engine noise settling into a steady, soothing drone. They were airborne, cutting through the sky towards Tian Dou City, towards her home, towards the next unknown chapter, holding on to each other as the only constant in the journey.